Mobile terminals are equipment and or devices; such as handheld cellular phones, tablets, mobile hotspots or any IoT elements; utilizing mobile (wireless) technologies, for example, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), code division multiple access (CDMA) global system for mobile communication, (GSM); Long Term Evolution (LTE); a combination thereof, or the like; for communicating voice and data.
The technologies vary from one carrier network to another, the carrier, i.e. mobile service providers (MSP) require the use of personalizing subscriber identity module (SIM) plug-in card in each mobile terminal. The SIM inserted into mobile terminals contains security algorithms required for authentication, personal information, service level and personal data of the mobile terminal user. The SIM functionality can be retained and implemented on a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) or a substantial part thereof. The UICC is a physical smart card, equipped with processing capabilities as well as memory that retain data and several applications utilized for accessing MSP networks, and the like. Typically mobile terminals are based on removable UICC, comprising the SIM functionality, which may be replaceable. Emerging technologies introduce embedded UICC (eUICC) or embedded SIM (eSIM), which can be an integral part of the mobile terminals.
Mobile terminal; such as mobile phone, smartphone, mobile hotspot, tablet, smart watch, alarm systems, a combination thereof, or the like; employs the (SIM) to identify and authenticate a subscriber in a MSP network. As a standard SIM comprises a unique value (K) used for authenticating a mobile terminal (MT) subscriber in any given MSP network. The value K is also stored in a repository called authentication center (AuC) of the MSP that provided the SIM to the subscriber. Most MT around the world adhere to following authentication:                a. Following boot up, the MT obtains the SIM's international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and passes it to MSP, thus requesting access and authentication.        b. The MSP fetches the IMSI from its AuC, extract its associated K, generate an SRES_1 response (Certificate challenge) based on the K and transmits it back to the MT.        c. The SIM card of the MT obtains the SRES_1 and signs it with its own K, thus generates response SRES_2, which is passes back to the MSP.        d. The MSP compares its SRES_1 with the SRES_2, returned from the MT, if they match the SIM is authenticated and the MT subscriber is granted access to the MSP network.        
The services provided by the MSPs are often limited, expensive and difficult to change once the subscriber locks into a particular MSP service. MSPs models for voice and data service employ direct charges to the caller, either via an invoice, calling card, credit card or associated charge number. International travelers are charged with high roaming charges for incoming and outgoing calls as well as data usage, on top of the tolls. Practically, international travelers are faced with the options of either buy a local SIM card or use a roaming plan. This is very inconvenient and also costly, especially when traveling to many countries.
In the last 3 decades, mobile wireless technologies have experience about five generations of technology evolution. Current focus in mobile wireless technology concentrates on advance implementation of 4G technology and 5G technology. First generation (1G) was based on analog cellular networks which contributed, to the mobile technology, the use of multiple cell sites, and the ability to transfer calls from one site to another as a subscriber traveled between cells during a conversation. The 1G was the last mobile analog network; the following generations were all digital generations.
Second generation (2G) was the first digital transmission networks, which primarily used GSM standard. The second generation introduced text messaging (SMS) initially on GSM networks and eventually on all digital networks. General packet radio service (GPRS) is a cellular wireless technology developed in between, 2G, and its successor, 3G. GPRS could provide data rates from 56 kbps up to 115 kbps. The enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) is an extended version of GSM, which extended the data transmission to 384 kbps.
Third generation (3G) is a: High speed internet protocol (IP) data networks. The main technological differentiating 3G from 2G is the use of packet switching instead of circuit switching for data transmission. IP packet switching enabled the, later on, development of the universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) boosting the data transfer rates and capacity. Current HSDPA deployments support down-link speeds of 1.8 Mbps to 84 Mbps.
Forth generation (4G) was mainly focused on Growth of mobile broadband. 4G is basically an extension of the 3G technology with more bandwidth and services, coupled with replacement of circuit switching with an all IP network for audio/video streaming as well as Voice over IP (VoIP). The 4G LTE data transfer rate can reach 100 Mbps downstream and 100 Mbps upstream. Fifth generation 5G, is the proposed next mobile communication beyond the 4G, the 5G may aims at higher broadband capacity per user per cell as well as higher consumption rate per month per user.